one more from this lovely Tuesday morning...
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Vanilla Cupcakes
Ok so I found a delish vanilla (white) cupcake recipe thanks to the fabulous Amy Sedaris. So I started playing with icing swirls this afternoon. I still need to work on the perfect lavender/violet shade and the stiffness of the icing but I have to say not bad for my first go at icing in many months!
I like the second one best -- more of a flat swirl....what do you think? Oh yeah I slipped a brown wrapper on as a test to see what it would look like.
I like the second one best -- more of a flat swirl....what do you think? Oh yeah I slipped a brown wrapper on as a test to see what it would look like.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Universe is Talking to ME
Always keep in mind, Constance, that no matter what has happened, you did the very best you could.
And so did those who may have let you down.
Love, The Universe
Ahhh.....I needed that this morning!
And so did those who may have let you down.
Love, The Universe
Ahhh.....I needed that this morning!
Friday, June 20, 2008
What were they thinking?
OK so I have been hearing about THIS all day.....I get it, I get that "kids" (yes those snappy youngsters that I once was not so long ago) have sex before marriage, or college, or they grow a brain, etc. This is what I don't get -- how exactly did these girlies come to the conclusion that getting preggo on purpose (at 16) was a fabulous idea? THEN who decided that is was even cooler to make sure the dad was a 24 year old homeless guy? (on another note are all the fellas in this town between 15 and 25 panting with anticipation at the obviously eager girlies?)
I really think there should be comprehensive sex ed in schools -- I don't mean just how not to get preggo or diseases BUT also the financial ramifications of such actions. Using this niffty calculator, I just found out that if I was a hypothetical single mom in the NE, making less than $40k a year and not planning to send my poor helpless child to college I can still look to spend close to $150k for the kid over 18 years and I am guessing that doesn't count that time when you have to rush the kid to the emergency room for that broken arm they got from jumping off the wood-shed out back.
Does this remind anyone else of Idiocracy???
Why couldn't these girls make a pact to meet back in town at age 25, settle down and then have babies to then raise together? What was the rush? Was life really that boring?
UPDATE: Now everyone is denying the fact that there was a pact...not sure if it makes me feel better BUT I will believe it does... :-P
I really think there should be comprehensive sex ed in schools -- I don't mean just how not to get preggo or diseases BUT also the financial ramifications of such actions. Using this niffty calculator, I just found out that if I was a hypothetical single mom in the NE, making less than $40k a year and not planning to send my poor helpless child to college I can still look to spend close to $150k for the kid over 18 years and I am guessing that doesn't count that time when you have to rush the kid to the emergency room for that broken arm they got from jumping off the wood-shed out back.
Does this remind anyone else of Idiocracy???
Why couldn't these girls make a pact to meet back in town at age 25, settle down and then have babies to then raise together? What was the rush? Was life really that boring?
UPDATE: Now everyone is denying the fact that there was a pact...not sure if it makes me feel better BUT I will believe it does... :-P
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Chocolate Cupcakes Test 2 & 3
Well two more tests today for the chocolate cupcakes. Both recipes came from the same nifty website -- Cupcake Bakeshop.
The first was a very simple old fashion chocolate -- delicious! Not too sweet very tender and the top was brownie like. I have to be careful about how much batter to put in the cups....an overflowing cupcake is not pretty to decorate. A tad over half full would be the best.
The second was a Devil's food and it is my choice. It is moist and not super sweet. Best of all it makes a pretty cupcake and will taste yummy with chocolate icing.
Now to find a few vanilla recipes to try...
The first was a very simple old fashion chocolate -- delicious! Not too sweet very tender and the top was brownie like. I have to be careful about how much batter to put in the cups....an overflowing cupcake is not pretty to decorate. A tad over half full would be the best.
The second was a Devil's food and it is my choice. It is moist and not super sweet. Best of all it makes a pretty cupcake and will taste yummy with chocolate icing.
Now to find a few vanilla recipes to try...
To Plant a Garden
I live in a townhouse so there is only a small yard in the back that includes a pretty small flower bed. My husband I and have lived here for a little over two years and have done NOTHING with that back flower bed. See the before....
My mom came for a visit this weekend. We headed down to Greenwood, SC to visit Park Seed and came home with TONS of fabulous finds. We planted for a few hours on Saturday. See what we planted! I can't wait to enjoy my little garden for the rest of the summer.
And all done!
My mom came for a visit this weekend. We headed down to Greenwood, SC to visit Park Seed and came home with TONS of fabulous finds. We planted for a few hours on Saturday. See what we planted! I can't wait to enjoy my little garden for the rest of the summer.
And all done!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Chocolate Cupcakes Test 1
I am practicing a few cupcake recipes in preparation for a friends wedding next month. Today I made trial 1 of chocolate cupcakes. I used a recipe off of the food network (this one). I did not make icing so I could really just taste the cake and make sure it was something good enough. Results -- really sweet, not sure I would want to eat it with icing, really moist, kids would love it, chocolate connoisseurs probably wouldn't. If I made it again I would probably toss in fruit or nuts and use them for sweet muffins OR follow the same recipe, serve them warm with whipped cream.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Jam!
I have been wanting to try to make jelly/jam for a few months now but just have been too busy to make it to a farmer's market to get the needed fruits. Friday, a nice farmer guy (aka Summer Santa in full Summer Santa gear -- overalls, trucker hat, white beard, etc) showed up at my workplace with his truck loaded down with strawberries! I think it was truly a sign to learn to make JAM! I promptly purchased 4 containers and he gave me one free. Somehow I missed the fact that each one was 4 quarts. So as soon as I got home and stowed the berries (all 20 qts of them) in my fridge I ran to the local store and got 2 dozen jars, sugar, and pectin.
This morning I spent 3 hours cleaning berries, processing them into juice, cooking and jarring jam. It was fun, messy, but totally worth doing again. I now have 20 jars of jam (the small half pint size), one batch of juice frozen for future jam endeavors, and TWO containers of berries still in the fridge. I plan to make at least one more batch of jam (I have to get more jars) then clean, slice and freeze the rest for my hubby. He likes smoothies!
Canning Jars
Yummy Berries
Jam all Finished
My Mess!
I can't wait for some yummy toast!!
This morning I spent 3 hours cleaning berries, processing them into juice, cooking and jarring jam. It was fun, messy, but totally worth doing again. I now have 20 jars of jam (the small half pint size), one batch of juice frozen for future jam endeavors, and TWO containers of berries still in the fridge. I plan to make at least one more batch of jam (I have to get more jars) then clean, slice and freeze the rest for my hubby. He likes smoothies!
Canning Jars
Yummy Berries
Jam all Finished
My Mess!
I can't wait for some yummy toast!!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Lesson Learned
There are reasons why "they" tell you to pre-wash your fabric before sewing! That cute blue dress I made... yeah remember that...it is now a solid 4" shorter!
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